Readers’ Comments

The Indian Panorama received from readers , for the special Independence Day edition, comments on recent developments in India with regard to the State of Jammu & Kashmir, in particular. We are fortunate to be living in America where we have unfettered freedom of expression . We are happy to note that readers have been fearless in their expression. The views expressed in various comments are readers’ own views and The Indian Panorama does not necessarily subscribe to or  endorse  any.

India’s action will enhance peace and prosperity

Ravi Batra

This action must deliver enhanced peace & security to J&K, as well as between India & Pakistan. It’s time for the Sub-Continent to celebrate freedom – not only from Colonialism – but Terror too, so every citizen of every nation enjoys a full measure of Liberty’s bounty. The United States, as a friend of the Sub-Continent, wants peace & prosperity to reign, not fear & Terror.

(New York based Ravi Batra is an attorney and Chair, National Advisory Council South Asian Affairs)

A Note of Caution for India’s Future

Ashok Ojha                                 

I live and work in USA where everything is not perfect. There are people around us whose actions may lead to undermine others’ achievements and accomplishments. Progressive thoughts and ideas may not be supported by prosperity, that is the United States. However, I always feel that a common American person live within a framework where he or she indulges in daily activities in order to not only survive but also to pursue his/her happiness. A feeling of value-based society prevails around us. So whatever we do carries a purpose and meaning.  There is a visible consequence of not working. Few are passionate about what they are doing. People may be working just to earn their living. And that situation is not conducive for making a great society. However, the nation goes on with rules and guidelines applicable to all. India, on its part, has a long way to go before it successfully constructs an acceptable framework for its citizen to work, to live and pursue personal happiness.

In today’s interconnected society I am constantly made aware of things happenings around the world. Considering what goes on the Western media on a daily basis I can say, from the Western point of view, that India is not an important question. India is important for those who claim India as their mother land. India is important for the generation whose roots lie in India. To that end we like to see a prosper India. People of Indian origin feel the pain of Indian brothers and sisters when they suffer from natural disasters and government apathy towards age old social problems.

India has been enjoying consistent economic growth for the past two decades. Many experts have gone to the extent of saying that Indian will overtake China in the near future in terms of growth. For this reason the world has been very supportive to the issues India has been embroiled in the recent past. However, the support to India by the international community, especially the West, has not been without any expectations. The developed nations look at India as a  prospective buyer, a growing market for its products. India, on its part, opened its economy for products from the rest of the world. During the current decade its people put their trust to a promising leader like Narendra Modi, hoping that he would make India a better place to live for its teeming billions.

How far the expectations of India’s middle class as well as its poor have been met by Modi? It is a big question. It may be early to answer this question. However, one can see that India’s financial health hasn’t been dealt wisely in the past few years. But hope is not yet lost for the simple fact that India has prospered to its current state not just by the government policies but by its enterprising and resilient population. One hopes that the ruling  Bharatiya Janata Party is genuinely eager to solve the social and economic challenges. We have some mixed feelings about the actions of the ruling party of India led by Narendra Modi. Some important matters must be finished before his report card is prepared.

The ruling party of India, Bharatiya Janata Party, must not behave as if its fortune will stay for ever. Sine 2014 Prime Minister Modi has been busy launching campaigns for social change. We all know about impacts of ‘Swatchch Bharat’, ‘Ujjawala’ and ‘Beti Bachao’, ‘Insurance for farmers’ campaigns that didn’t go too far. Modi government is yet to create employment for the millions of unemployed youth. If the situation of unemployment and poverty in India remains unchanged no force on the earth can save it from mass unrest.

Recently Modi government used its strength of popular mandate to demolish Article 370 of the Indian constitution. The Western media projected this move as  the seize of Kashmiri people. The neighboring country used every tactic to destabilize the region. India is fortunate to be enjoying the support of Western world as well as many wealthy Arab nations on Kashmir issue. Because of this reason I don’t see any difficulty for the Modi government working towards normalization of Kashmir. While Delhi has demonstrated high skills of administration after the abrogation of Article 370,  many BJP officials stand exposed with their small mindset. They continue to behave as if India has conquered a new territory. It is the time to stand polite and help the common people of Kashmir who might be in financial distress.  It is not the time to worry about Pakistan. India must focus on the welfare of the whole of Jammu and Kashmir region. We are not aware how much India was spending on upkeep of security forces in Kashmir. The financial cost of securing the Kashmir region must be very high. Should this money had been spent for the development of the region? Absolutely.

(Ashok Ojha is a New Jersey based senior journalist and teacher.)

This Independence Day is special

Anu Jain

Happy India Independence Day to all. We are very grateful to our leaders and pay tribute to and remember all the freedom fighters who contributed a lot and fought for the Independence of India. They have given us free India and today we are in our 73rd year of freedom and it is great pride for us.

Today we play an important role in all important international affairs around the world. Indians are leading the world in every field. In fact, since the day of independence to this day, we have developed significantly in every sphere of life.

We should be making every effort to make our motherland India and adapt homeland America powerful and honorable in the world.  Let’s unite, let’s work hard and tell our every friends and foes alike. We are friends with friends and when times come, we can roar.

This Independence Day is very special because of  Government of India has scrapped the Article 370 from J&K, through a Presidential order on 5th August 2019 and Indian flag will be hosting in Kashmir and its liberation of Kashmir in true manner. Humanity at heart, Humanity in spirit!

Jai Hind!

(Anu Jain is a Long Island, New York based community activist, painter, writer and real estate salesperson)

 People of Jammu and Kashmir will benefit from abrogation of Article 370

Jagdish Sewhani

We congratulate Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah for taking this bold step. It was long due, but it took the courage and vision of Prime Minister Modi to remove this unjust provision of the Indian constitution,” said Jagdish Sewhani, president of American India Public Affairs Committee.

Undoing the seven-decades old wrong would not put India on fast track of development. “People of Jammu and Kashmir would be the first beneficiary of the economic development that the region would not experience,” he said adding that several Indian Americans are ready to invest in the tourism and other sectors of Jammu and Kashmir and Laddakh.

New York-based Sewhani said Indian Americans are planning to felicitate Prime Minister Modi when he comes here to attend the annual session of the UN General Assembly in September.

(Long Island, New York based Jagdish Sewhany is a BJP activist and a businessman)

I Laud Prime Minister Modi for the bold action

Ven Parameswaran

I laud Modi for utmost secrecy.  Nobody knew. It was a pleasant surprise to India and the world blinked.

I am glad officially Jammu and Kashmir including Ladakh/Aksai Chin are now fully integrated with India. I did not like the Special Status (370).   India has expended unlimited resources in Kashmir but the Kashmiris have not been accountable encouraging maximum corruption.  It is a disgrace that India was careless all these years

Kashmir can be the Switzerland of Asia.  I am in favor of freedom for investors to invest in Kashmir.  All these 72 years, non-Kashmiris were not allowed to buy properties or invest.

On Tuesday, that is today, the Lok Sabha will steamroll the new bill and status of Kashmir.

Utterances of Chidambaram and Tharoor were irrelevant and insignificant.  So far there is no reaction from the US and the Western world. Even China has kept mum. Pakistan bribed China by ceding a part of its occupied Azad Kashmir. Pakistan is shocked that it is isolated.  So far there is peace. Modi seems to have done his homework and sent additional 35,000 forces.

Pakistan will try to schedule a meeting of the Security Council.  India must use its diplomacy to prevent this. If Pak succeeds, India should send the most competent representative to argue.  India can count on Soviet veto. Pakistan China veto. It may be in the interest of the US not to have a meeting.  The US still has no official ambassador, I think.

In any case, Modi has neutralized the Khan-Trump White House meeting.  India has denied what Trump said on mediation.  In Washington which diplomacy will succeed — India or Pakistan?

Trump, I think will be careful because Trump has the largest foreign investment in India.

(Scarboro , NY based Ven Parameswaran is a retired UN official and a contributor to publications)

 Don’t let your communal politics make you communal in your responses

Mike Ghouse

Modi and Shah scraped the article 370 of the constitution giving exclusive rights to the state of Kashmir, and it was the need of that day when Pakistan attacked Kashmir, and it chose to seek the protection of India. The law was passed to protect their rights until a referendum was organized to let the people decide what they want to do.

In a democracy, the states have the rights, and the federal institution cannot bully them into obedience against their will. If you break the law once, you break it again, and in the end, it is dangerous to all. Kashmir is no different than Gujarat (when Modi was CM) Tamil Nadu or Bengal in going against the federal government.

I am reading comments across the board- and have this to say to my friends in India. Don’t let your bias towards anyone make you unjust, and you would become an ugly person if you are unfair. If you stick to justice for all, you cannot go wrong. All the problems we have in society are due to injustice.

Learn to talk about the people of India based on the individual’s rights and not on communal lines. Don’t let your communal politics make you communal in your responses.

Protests will begin unless Modi acts like evil China’s repressive regime in Tiananmen Square. Thank God, 66% of Indians are still civil and democratic and respect the constitution and the rule of law.

I always think of women in India – Men invariably beat them, treat them as inferior, and force them to remain silent. Finally, I am glad women spoke up and are restoring sense if justice among men.  Thanks to our founding fathers for respectfully accepting the protests without crushing them like the British did it in Jalianwala Bagh.

All because our founding fathers honored their God-given right to protest. If women were prevented from speaking up, they would have continued to live in oppression by men. No people on the earth should be denied their right to protest. Without protest, democracy dies, and in the end, all of us will lose our freedoms.

Those who oppose protestors tend to be oppressors themselves and insecure. Civilized people can deal with conflicts through dialogue; animals resolve their disputes by forcing others to through brut power.

 (Washington based Mike Ghouse is President, Center for Pluralism and an author . He blogs at www.AmericanMuslimAgenda.com ) 

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